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<title>Label Item Element</title>
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<h1>Label</h1>

<p>Displays a static piece of text. The text can be 
externalized.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>

<p>A label is just that: a static piece of text displayed in 
the report. In the simplest case, the label directly contains the text. Label 
items are for use with grids, free-form containers, matrices, tables and other 
items that need a short, discrete block of text.</p>

<p>The text in the label does not normally contain multiple 
lines. However, if the text provided is too long to fit into the available 
width, BIRT will automatically break the text into multiple lines. However, one 
would normally want to use the Text element if the intent is to display multiple 
lines, especially if control over the indentation, line spacing and formatting 
is needed.</p>

<p>The Label element is a kind of Report Item and inherits 
the <code>dataSet</code> property. However, labels display 
static text, so no data set should be associated with a label.</p>

<h3>XML Summary</h3>

<h3>See Also</h3>
<p>Text Item element</p>
<p>Data Item element</p>

<h2 class="property">text</h2>

<p>The text to display in the label. The text can be 
externalized.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>

<p>The text to display in the label. The text can be 
externalized. The text cannot contain internal formatting.</p>

<h3>See Also</h3>

<h2 class="property">action</h2>

<p>Optional hyperlink defined for the label.</p>


<h3>Description</h3>

<p>Optional hyperlink defined for the label. Like the label 
itself, the hyperlink is static. Use the Data Item to create a hyperlink that 
varies depending on the value of data rows.</p>

<h3>See Also</h3>

<p>Action structure</p>

<h2 class="property">helpText</h2>

<p>Optional tool-tip text that appears when the user hovers the cursor over the item.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>

<p>Reports often display large amounts of data on a single 
page. Labels are often short: acronyms, single words and so on. While this works 
well once the user is familiar with the labels, it can make the report confusing 
to the first-time user. Help-text helps bridge the gap. It allows the user to us 
a label such as &quot;ROI&quot; in the report. If the user needs more information, he can 
hover the cursor over the label and help text will appear that says something 
like, &quot;Return on Investment: defined as the ratio of profit to funds invested.&quot;</p>

<p>The help text is optional. If no text is present, then no 
tool-tip text will appear. The help text can be externalized.</p>

<h3>See Also</h3>
<h2 class="method">onCreate</h2>
<p>Script executed when the element is created in the Factory.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>
<p>Executed when the element is created in the Factory. Called after the item is created, but before 
the item is saved to the report document file. See the scripting spec for additional information 
about this script. Applications should perform visual customization in the on-render script instead.</p>

<h2 class="method">onPrepare</h2>
<p>It is for a script startup phase. No data binding yet. The design of an element can be changed here.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>
<p>It is for a script startup phase. No data binding yet. The design of an element can be changed here.</p>

<h2 class="method">onRender</h2>
<p>Script executed when the element is prepared for rendering in the Presentation engine.</p>

<h3>Description</h3>
<p>Executed when the element is prepared for rendering in the Presentation engine. Changes made to the 
element are written to the target output format, but not saved to the report document file. This is the
preferred place for visual customizations.</p>
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